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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30063375">To Find a Rogue</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sothisiswhatsnext/pseuds/sothisiswhatsnext'>sothisiswhatsnext</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>azu and grizzop hang out and go to bars, cw alcohol and drunkeness, it's not a lot of content but Friendship Is Important, my zine piece! i'm very please with it, rqg zine, the working title was "azu and grizzop's bar hop"</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:40:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,261</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30063375</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sothisiswhatsnext/pseuds/sothisiswhatsnext</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sasha wandered off, so Azu and Grizzop are off on a quest.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Azu &amp; Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam, Azu &amp; Sasha Racket, Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam &amp; Sasha Racket</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To Find a Rogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I do think it’s important to find Sasha,” Grizzop says, “but I can see at least twelve bars from here. That’s a lot of bars.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry,” Azu says with a smile. “We can try all of them. She has to be in one.” Undeterred by Grizzop’s continued skepticism, she spurs Topaz in the direction of the nearest bar, where jeweled letters above the door announce in Arabic that the building serves “High-Class Cocktails and More!” A worker in bright red clothes, matching the drapes around the door of the building, scrubs sand from between glittering shards of glass. </p>
<p>“This doesn’t much look like where Sasha would go,” Grizzop says, squinting up at the ornate building. “Too fancy.”</p>
<p>“It was the closest one,” Azu responds, and jumps down off Topaz. </p>
<p>Grizzop yelps, grabbing onto her collar. “Warn me next time!” he shrieks. </p>
<p>“Sorry,” Azu says. “Do you want a hand down?”</p>
<p>From her shoulder, Grizzop hmmphs, and climbs from Azu’s shoulder to Topaz’s back before jumping down. “I really don’t think she’ll be here,” he says, and leads the way through the gilded doors. </p>
<p>Inside, Grizzop starts prowling the tables, peeking into the few dark corners he sees, while Azu strides directly up to the bar. “Have you seen a young woman with dark hair and a leather jacket recently?” she asks. “I’m looking for my friend.”</p>
<p>The barkeep turns around from arranging glasses and eyes Azu up and down. “Can’t say I have,” they say, turning back to the glasses. </p>
<p>Azu sighs, and then has an idea. She sits on a stool at the bar. “A shot of your finest whiskey,” she says, dropping a coin on the bar. </p>
<p>Without looking at her, the barkeep scoops up her coin and replaces it with a shot glass. They grab a bottle from under the bar, and fill the glass. </p>
<p>Grizzop slides onto a stool next to Azu. “She’s not here,” he says, before noticing the drink in front of Azu. “What are you doing?” he asks. </p>
<p>“I thought if I ordered something this fine person might be more inclined to talk,” Azu says. “Apparently not.” She picks up the shot and tosses it back, then stands up. “Onto the next one?” she says, heading for the door. </p>
<p>Grizzop scurries after, catching up in time to be hauled onto Azu’s shoulders once she settles herself on Topaz. </p>
<p>At the next bar, the barkeep is more conversational, and shares a shot with Azu before wishing the two luck in their quest for their friend. </p>
<p>The third one they visit looks promising from the outside: a ramshackle building hiding in what used to be the alley between a casino and an upscale restaurant. Grizzop jumps down and leads the way, as he did both times before. </p>
<p>The inside of this bar contrasts sharply with the outside, draped in subtle but rich fabrics. A small band is playing in the corner, even as the midafternoon sun shines softly through the windows. The soft murmur of conversation blends with the clinking of glasses and silverware on plates. </p>
<p>“This… is not what I was expecting,” Azu says, but takes a seat at the bar nevertheless and orders a shot of their finest whiskey. The barkeep provides one, scooping up the coin Azu drops on the bar as she recites what is quickly becoming her script — a young woman, dark hair, leather jacket. </p>
<p>The barkeep glances around the room, taking stock of the tables. “There’s no one new here today, ma’am, I’m sorry to say.”</p>
<p>Azu frowns. “She’s not here either,” pipes up Grizzop’s voice from below. “Another shot?”</p>
<p>“If we’re going to be visiting bars, we might as well experience them,” Azu says. </p>
<p>“Aren’t we looking for Sasha?” Grizzop asks pointedly. </p>
<p>“Of course,” Azu says, “but how long has it been since you’ve really seen a city?”</p>
<p>There’s a beat, broken when Grizzop shrugs. “Might as well,” he says, climbing onto the stool and tossing a coin at the barkeeper. “One of those, please.”</p>
<p>The barkeep pours Grizzop a shot of the same whiskey he provided for Azu. Azu raises her shot glass, and Grizzop matches the gesture. They clink glasses, and drink. </p>
<p>The next few bars pass in much the same way, with Grizzop prowling around, looking for dark corners containing sulking rogues, while Azu asks the barkeep, before the two clink glasses and head out the door. The quality of whiskey varies, but stays mostly expensive, and Grizzop brings that up as they leave the latest bar. </p>
<p>“This isn’t working,” he says. </p>
<p>Azu nods. “I think you were right before. These are all too fancy for Sasha.”</p>
<p>“Well then. Let’s ask around.” Grizzop scans the thoroughfare, and spots a man in muted colors standing in front of a collapsible stall at a corner further down the street. He scuttles off, waving at Azu to follow. </p>
<p>“Where are you —” Azu starts to ask, but Grizzop is already gone. She dismisses Topaz and follows him. </p>
<p>She catches up to hear Grizzop asking the man if he knows any bars off the strip. “The kind of place you go to sulk,” Grizzop says, and the man looks confused. </p>
<p>“We’re looking for our friend,” Azu explains. “She wandered off, which she does sometimes, and she probably found a bar somewhere. Do you know any places like that?”</p>
<p>The man nods in understanding as soon as he hears the two are looking for a lost friend. He rattles off a list of names and directions in heavily accented English, and Azu thanks him for his help as Grizzop runs off to find the first bar. </p>
<p>“Grizzop, wait!” Azu calls after him. </p>
<p>He turns and grins, calling “come on, then!” behind himself. </p>
<p>The whiskey steadily increases in strength as they work their way through the list, which Grizzop takes as a good sign. After a particularly tongue-numbing drink, he says, “we’ve got to be close,” and Azu nods. </p>
<p>There are two bars left on the list when something catches Grizzop’s eye. By this point, the two have had a reasonable number of shots, and Azu can tell it’s going straight to Grizzop’s head. </p>
<p>“You have to try this, Azu!” she hears, though muffled, as if through a mouthful of food. She turns to look, and finds Grizzop standing in front of a cart; a clever setup holds a pan over smoldering coals. The scent of cooking meat drifts down the thoroughfare, which is obviously what lured a drunken Grizzop to the stand.</p>
<p>Grizzop holding up a flatbread filled with meat, repeating that Azu has to try it, before tearing a bite free. </p>
<p>Azu walks over, and hands over a few coins in exchange for a flatbread. She takes a bite, and her eyes widen. “This is excellent!” she says, still chewing. She finishes her mouthful, and turns to the person behind the cart. “Thank you for this delicious food,” Azu says to them. </p>
<p>Grizzop buys another flatbread, having already devoured his first one. </p>
<p>“Come on, Grizzop,” Azu says, turning back to the street. “There’s only a few more to check.”</p>
<p>All she gets in return is a nod, as Grizzop tears into his second flatbread. </p>
<p>A bar and another shot later, the two find themselves standing in front of a building labeled ‘The Pharaoh’ in almost-illegible letters. It bears a promising exterior, like the rest of the bars they’ve been to recently. </p>
<p>“This is the last one that the vendor told us about,” Azu says. </p>
<p>“She’s got to be here, then,” Grizzop says, and scurries through the door, Azu following behind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i'm just grateful for the zine folks once again, it's been a while since i've written anything but this was so much fun to be a part of.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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